Complete Game Notes
SCHENECTADY, NY - No. 4 seed Union (14-2, 6-2 Liberty League) will travel to No. 1 seed RPI (11-6, 7-1 Liberty League) on Thursday afternoon for the first postseason game for the program since 2009. Union is seeking its first Liberty League title since 2006.
» Mansfield Among The League's Best Strikers
Senior forward Jennifer Mansfield is in the midst of a stellar season up front for the Dutchwomen.
Mansfield, who leads the team with 24 points (10 goals, four assists), also is atop the Liberty League in goal-scoring and game-winning goals (5). She needs one more goal to set a new career best for goals scored in a season.
» A Stingy Defense For the Dutchwomen in 2012
Under head coach Brian Speck, Union has consistantly been one of the toughest defensive teams in the Liberty League and 2012 is no different.
The Dutchwomen are second in the Liberty League in goals against average (0.56), shutouts (9), and goals allowed (9).
Union is No. 32 in the nation in scoring defense and No. 37 in the country in shutout percentage (.563). In fact, Union has allowed one goal or fewer in all but one contest this season.
» The Last Meeting
Sophomore striker Mollie Gilchrist scored off of a cross by senior Giovanna Velardo in the 62nd minute, to lead the No. 13 Union College women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), at ECAV Stadium. With the win, the Dutchwomen clinched their first Liberty League playoff berth since 2009.
In a 1-1 contest, midway through the second half, Velardo worked the ball to the end line, before sending a cross into the middle of the penalty area. Gilchrist ran onto the ball and buried her eighth of the season and fourth in the past three games from close range.
Union senior Jennifer Mansfield scored the game's first goal in the 39th minute, off a flick-on header by sophomore Whitney Bickford. Mansfield corralled the redirected header just outside the Rensselaer six-yard box and finished low to Vargas' right side. Less than a minute later, the Engineers' Nikki Goodsell scored to set up an exciting finish.
Marti (13-1) finished with two saves to earn the win, while Vargas (4-2) stopped two shots of her own at the other end of the field.
» The Union-RPI Series
Today's game will mark the 35th meeting in the series between Union and RPI in women's soccer. Union owns a record of 27-6-1 all-time against the Engineers, and have won eight of the last nine meetings. RPI picked up its first win over Union since 2002 at the end of the 2011 season, defeating the Dutchwomen, 1-0, at College Park on Oct. 19, 2011.
» Marti In the Midst of Stellar Season in Net
Senior goalkeeper Kayla Marti, in her first season as the full-time starter, has been outstanding in net for Union. Marti is 14-2 with a 0.52 goals-against average (26th NCAA) and a Liberty League leading .895 save percentage (9th NCAA). She has recorded seven shutouts on the season.
» Speck Leads Union To Another Double-Digit Win Campaign
Union head coach Brian Speck, in his 18th season with the program, has led the Dutchwomen to 16 straight double-digit win campaigns, including the 2012 season.
At 14-2, Union has had its best season since the 2008 campaign, when the Dutchwomen finished 14-4-1 and last qualified for the NCAA Tournament. With an overall record of 241-61-19, Speck is the school's all-time winningest coach in women's soccer.
